


for we are grand and great (we are indomitable)

by WriterWinged



Series: Nexium [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, F/M, I'm Bad At Tagging, M/M, Maybe - Freeform, Multi, My First Work in This Fandom, also ive been converted to the middle two relationships, i should stop rambling, i think this counts as a fantasy au, id like to know what happens in it tho, its less fantasy and more, like the fairgame is slowburn, most of the relationship are pre-relation, not sure, or Both, or dragged, so cute, tagging is hard, they got yeeted into another world
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-21
Updated: 2020-02-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:53:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22824403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WriterWinged/pseuds/WriterWinged
Summary: Salem is coming. A dust old crow grieves and a young man falls, friend face the truth. But what if... they had more time? To learn, to grow, to heal? The Brothers Grimm aren't the only Gods, after all...
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Jaune Arc/Lie Ren/Nora Valkyrie, Penny Polendina/Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee, Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Series: Nexium [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1640842
Comments: 11
Kudos: 37





	for we are grand and great (we are indomitable)

**Author's Note:**

> brain: oh hey! another rwby idea!  
> me: NO  
> brain: but its cool  
> me: ...fine  
> *writes 2.5k in 6 hours*  
> me: WHERE WERE YOU FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS?!?!?!
> 
> heres my entrance to the fandom. there will be more, no idea when. workskin is needed, pls.
> 
> this is not betaed, i barely proof read it, things probably don't make sense. oops

The clearing was silent aside from the rustling of leaves and the sounds of the forest. A stream burbled merrily as it wound its way around the edge of the clearing, far from the human forms asleep inside.

There were less than a dozen of them, scattered in two semi-seperate groups. Each was sleeping deeply and quietly, not caring about the hard ground beneath them. Except for one, clad in grey and red, who was slowing stirring, instincts born of a long life travelling screaming.

From the treeline, another approached. To call them a human would be a lie, for despite having the same general shape, little else was similar. From her head, for there was a subtle curve to her chest, rose two massive antlers. They stretched upwards and to the side, vines blooming with flowers trailing from them.

She glided towards the sleepers, her feet making no sound over the grass. Yet, despite her silence, the human continued to wake, something primal responding to her presence. She bent over each form, her hand drifting but never touching.

“Where…” a raspy voice ground out, catching her attention. She turned towards the voice, meeting garnet eyes. He stared at her for a long moment before recognition lit in his eyes and he tensed. “What are you.” His voice, no less raspy, was now held notes of fear, worry and dread.

I think you know the answer to that, Qrow Branwen. The voice was not spoken, but rather formed of the whispering trees and chirping birds, an understanding wrought by magic.

“A God.” he whispered.

Yes, but not one of the two you fear.

“The Brothers.” he confirmed, his hand tightening its grip on his companion’s shirt, a charm tinkling softly.

You do well not to invoke their full names here, where names have power. I am the Goddess of Life and Nature. Many eons ago, the Brothers came to me, individually, to learn from me. I taught them and from that knowledge they created the world you know. Despite himself, Qrow shivered at the sound of roaring that intruded in her voice.

“You don’t seem happy about that.” he stated warily. He could feel the impression of a wane smile on her face at his words.

Not that they made your world, no, but the choices they made the first time around. They failed to understand that all children rebel at one point or another. Of course, they would not have seen that rebellion for many more centuries if they had dealt with Salem properly. Qrow snorted, but continued to eye her warily.

“You seem to accept that as a fact.”

I have made many worlds, little bird, and many races. At some point, they all rebel against that which I have set in place. That is when I know it is time to leave until they call on me, for all children raised properly know that their parents will help if asked. Unfortunately, it took me a very long time to learn this.

“So, we’re their first mistake? We get the short end of the stick and suffer for it?” Qrow snarled, glaring up at the Goddess.

Yes and no. By Law, their actions have removed any right to control or influence your world, which is where us Elder Gods would step in to right the wrongs. However, they still have a hold on your world through their mistake.

“Salem.”

Yes. Cursed by the Light, fallen into the Darkness, she is the last remaining tie between the Brothers and Remnant. And then there is Ozma. She raised a hand as Qrow’s mouth opened, halting him before he could speak. Despite everything that he and his has done, they are victims too. You saw the first life, the way he tried so very hard to quell Salem. As he has said, he has made more mistakes than any others alive. How many times, do you think, they told others the whole truth and were believed or betrayed? They are old, little bird, and have many issues. They did what they thought was best. Their greatest fault is that they grew compliant with Salem’s silence.

Qrow was silent, his lips drawn into a thin line. “I can’t forgive them for using me. I can’t trust them like I used to any more, not after all the secrets.” he admitted.

I would be more concerned if you did. It is fair that you are hurt and that you need time to process that hurt. If anything, that hurt is needed. For a very long time, they were trusted completely and no faults were found. Those that found faults fled in fear at the destruction of something they thought grand. You, however, you did not.

“Yeah? You sure about that?” Qrow grimaced, his mind flashing back to that fucking farm.

You faltered and fell, yes. But you stood back up. You broke and bent, but put yourself back together even stronger, unlike your sister, who fled and never tried to put her shattered pieces together. Qrow’s breath caught in his throat, his eyes widening in surprise.

Grand and glorious your sister may be, it means nothing in the face of her fear. She let it consume her and turn her into something she was not, shattering a brilliant light. You however, did not. His breath stuttered in his throat, tears glimmering in the corner of his eyes. Qrow took a deep breath, pushing down his swelling emotions.

“Alright. Alright, so-” Qrow stopped, sitting up and dragging his hand down his face. The Goddess watched, waiting for him to gather his scattered thoughts. As they both waited in silence, the sleepers began to stir.

The first was the girl in the red cloak. She pushed herself up, groaning at the sharp stab of pain as her silver eyes fluttered open. She looked around blearily, taking in her friends sleeping around her and the large glowing figure before them. She stared for a long moment as she processed the sight.

Her eyes widened, finally registering the Goddess in front of her, “Oh no.” she breathed, staring in horror at her. She reached out and began to shake the others, not taking her eyes off the Goddess.

“Yang, Blake, Weiss, guys, get up!” she hissed, her voice slowly rising as she spoke. The others groaned in protest at the noise and movement, curling closer together. Qrow glanced up, just noticing that his niece was awake.

“It’s alright Ruby. She seems different then the Brothers.” he sought to reassure her, shifting his companion into a better position. Ruby gave him a doubtful look, but some of the tension bled from her body.

“Rubes, what’s… wrong?” Yang asked, voice trailing off as she realized where she wasn’t. “What the hell, where are we?” she yelled, surging to her feet and dislodging her partner. Blake’s eyes snapped open and she rolled with the movement, landing on her feet and drawing out her weapon.

Yang’s shout woke the rest of the team, everyone grabbing their weapons and standing. Oscar stumbled to his feet, gripping his head as a splitting headache pulsed behind his eyes. Jaune, Nora and Ren noticed right away, Jaune grabbing his arm and pulling him to his side. Weiss leapt to her feet, Myrtenaster already loaded. 

Please, young Hunters, be at peace. I mean no harm. The Goddess spoke, raising her hands and stepping back. No one relaxed. The Hunters got the feeling of a rueful grin, despite the fact that the Goddess had no mouth. I mean it. I can, quite literally, do you no harm. Not here in this Sanctuary. Nexium will not allow it. 

“You still haven’t answered my question. Where are we and why the hell have you brought us here?” Yang spat, moving closer to her sister, Ember Celica still in a ready position. Qrow watched his kids with pride, seeing how they were covering each other. 

You are in the Sanctuary of Life, granted to the Gods by Nexium, young dragon. As for why, well, that is rather complicated. Not, she took another step back as they tensed even more, that I won’t tell you. It just requires a lot of context, some of which your Uncle already knows.

“The Brothers and their actions.” Qrow stated when his nieces' eyes turned to him, “You said because of what they did to Humanity the first time ‘round they lost all right to our world but you can’t interfere because of Salem.”

Yes. By the Laws woven by the All, the Brothers Grimm should no longer have access to your Remnant. But because Salem was Cursed by Light before their actions, they haven’t… entirely… failed- she paused at the sudden clamor from the group, speaking over each other in anger.

“Are you kidding me?!?”

“That… but… they…”

“Haven’t ENTIRELY failed?!”

Yes, she shouted, by the Laws Salem is the last of the First Humanity and she still rebels against them, so they haven’t broken any Laws. By our count? They failed well before then. They failed when they totured a man by causing him to die and die again. They failed when they cursed a grieving woman with eternal life. But we could do nothing. We were not allowed to interfere. We could not right the wrongs, we could not hide Remnant from them. We could do nothing and your world suffered for it.

“So how are we here?” Ruby asked, stepping towards the Goddess.

Luck. Pure, dumb luck. Qrow gasped, his eyes wide as he looked at the Goddess. His eyes slowly turned down to his companion, to Clover. He hadn’t let him go once during either conversation, his hand always running through his hair. He could still see that tundra, the red stained snow. Yet, there was no sign of Clover’s injury, not even a tear in his uniform.

“Clover, his Semblance. It gave you...” he breathed, his fingers tracing the curve of a cheekbone. He stopped, noticing Clover’s eyelids fluttering. He held his breath, everything else vanishing as those teal eyes opened. 

They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity before Clover’s mouth broke into a smile. “Hello pretty bird.” he said, a hand reaching up to rest on Qrow’s cheek. A soft, sweet smile spread across Qrow’s face, leaning into the hand and placing his own over it.

“Well!” Ruby chirped, tearing the two’s attention from each other. Qrow blushed at the sight of Yang’s grin, one he remembered seeing on Tai’s face every time he thought that Qrow had a crush, before paling a little at the feral grin on Ruby’s face that was entirely Summer. 

Ahem. Qrow sent the Goddess a prayer of thanks. He did not want to be interrogated about his feelings for Clover right now. While his Semblance did have some effects, most of the luck is yours, little bird. He gaped at her in disbelief.

“But… how?” He asked.

You consider it good luck for you that you’re here. For the Brothers? It’s bad luck. She had a feral grin as she continued, Afterall, now the Elder Gods can help you defeat Salem. Or at least give you the tools to do so. And before you speak of Jinn, remember, the wizard asked her the wrong question and her knowledge is limited to Remnant. And this is Nexium.

As for how, she turned to Qrow, who did you curse out in the tundra? The wizard? The tin man? The Brothers Grimm? You wished misfortune on them and the king’s fisher wished fortune on you. You made a portal to Nexium and he brought it to our attention. Together, you have brought the Brothers to their knees.

Ren’s brows furrowed in the silence following her declaration. “Nexium?” he asked, “You said Nexium wouldn’t let you hurt us here, yet you say that we are in Nexium. How?”

The Goddess sighed, Nexium is… complicated. It is both this world and an Elder God. It… she trailed off, staring off into the distance. When this world was first made, it had little purpose. It was meant to be just a nexus. We Gods made many worlds and travelled between them with little thought to any repercussions. We thought there were none. 

We were wrong. This world was being torn apart and we didn’t care. We would have just made another, but that wasn’t the only repercussion. So many Gods, so much power constantly being used in the same world. Was it really any surprise that it became a God in it’s own right? It became a God and forced us to see what we were doing to this world, to every world. Eventually, we would have torn every world apart. And we would have just made more. Nexium prevented that. It took the title ‘God of That Between’ and now ensures that no world will be torn apart. And since this world is its body, everyone follows its rule, even other Gods. 

“Okay. The world is a God. Anything else you like to drop on us?” Jaune asked, throwing his hands up.

One of yours is over there. The Goddess pointed behind them, I am unsure if she meant to end up there. Ruby looked back, her breath catching in her throat.

“Penny!” With a burst of her Semblance, she stood in front of the unconscious (please, please, please) android hanging from the tree. “Penny, are you okay?” She reached out, carefully shaking Penny’s shoulder. Penny’s eyes snapped open, her maiden powers flaring for a moment.

“Ruby? Where…” she looked around at the clearing, “Where are we?” Ruby gave her small, delighted smile as she explained what had happened and where they were as she helped Penny from the tree.  
“But, what do you think we can do?” She turned to the Goddess. She hummed softly, turning to the group as a whole.

Think of this as a vacation-training trip. It will give the time to train and refine the skills needed to defeat Salem without the looming specter of her attacking you.

“We can’t just leave! Not even for this. Salem is coming to Atlas right now, we need to be there.” Ruby shouted, stepping towards her. Her voice quieting, “We can’t just let her win.”

Little reaper. The Goddess knelt before Ruby so that their faces were level, We know. That is why whenever you are ready to go back, Nexium and as many Gods of Time as needed will send you back to the exact second you left. No time will pass while you are here. You will not age either. We want to tip the odds in your favor as much as possible. So, will you stay?

Ruby looked at her team, at Jaune, Ren and Nora, who stayed beside Oscar, at her uncle, standing beside Clover, at her sister, holding hands with Blake, at Weiss and Penny, side by side. She looked at the people who stood beside her against Salem and came to a decision.

“We’ll stay.”

**Author's Note:**

> things to note:  
> 1\. ace ops were considered and booted  
> 2\. i forgot about penny until the end  
> 3\. i listened to indomitable for pretty much most of this  
> 4\. clover was originally going to kiss qrow (he will, eventually)  
> 4.5. yes qrow was cradling clover the entire time and they still haven't gotten up  
> 5\. this was born from a need for Ruby & Co to take a break


End file.
